* Mid Cherwell Neighbourhood Plan
Much more housing is going to be built in Cherwell over the next few years, and with it will come the impact of increased traffic and other travel issues, and a need for more community facilities of all kinds.
Our parish council is participating in the development of a new community-based Neighbourhood Plan for the Mid-Cherwell area. This initiative could play an important role in shaping the future of our local villages by determining, with statutory force, what development might be welcome and what might not be.
VISIT THE MID-CHERWELL NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION
WWW.MID-CHERWELL.ORG.UK
APRIL 2024
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE REVISED PLAN
First, many thanks once again to all those who engaged with our recent Consultation on the review of the Neighbourhood Plan. We had a great response:
- 176 people submitted comments
- 662 comments in total were received
- 245 people attended one or more of our ten local engagement meetings
The Forum parish councils are now completing the process of reading all the comments and taking on board the many constructive suggestions for changes to our draft policies, as well as objections to some of them. We also have the preliminary views of various statutory bodies and Cherwell District planners to take into account.
The next step is produce a further iteration of the Plan, together with a detailed record of all the representations received (anonymised) and our response to them. Following submission to Cherwell DC, they will conduct a further public consultation on the basis of those documents. This will probably be in the Summer of 2024.
HEYFORD PARK PARISH COUNCIL
In November 2023, Heyford Park PC told the MCNP Forum that it wished to resign membership of the Forum. It was planning to create its own separate neighbourhood plan for Heyford Park, and subsequently applied to Cherwell DC to have the parish designated as a “neighbourhood area”. This is the first step of many that are needed to create a new neighbourhood plan. It took the MCNP over four years to do so.
No decision has yet been taken by Cherwell following their consultation on the application. In response, the Forum submitted a 19-point objection to Heyford Park’s proposal. We do not think it will serve the best interests of the local communities. We understand that the initial decision will be taken by Cherwell’s Executive at its meeting on June 10th. 2024.
In the meantime, Cherwell planners have told us that they will not progress any submission of our Revised Plan, due to the uncertainty of the outcome of the Heyford Park designation. Our work on the Plan is proceeding, but submission is therefore delayed until after the June meeting.
DORCHESTER’S AMBITIOUS PLANS FOR HEYFORD PARK
Dorchester Living, owners of Heyford Park, delivered a presentation in February to Forum members and others of their long-term vision for Heyford Park. The aim is to pre-empt planning policy for this important strategic site by forcing Cherwell DC to determine Dorchester’s proposed submission of their new “masterplan” for planning permission this summer (a presentation plan is shown above). A refusal will likely trigger an appeal.
It is a very ambitious proposal, taking in large areas of the historic Flying Field as well as 250 acres of greenfield land to the south of the current development. The original permission at Heyford Park was for 1,075 new dwellings. The latest version is for 6,000 more homes – virtually a six-fold increase. While Dorchester suggest that much of the development would not start until 2040, it is nevertheless the aim to secure the long-term plan now, so that infrastructure improvements (such as the idea of re-opening a railway station at Ardley) can be promoted.
A central objective of the MCNP has always been to avoid the loss of countryside and damage to the rural setting of our villages. The Forum has already expressed its opposition to building on greenfield land adjacent to Heyford Park, and has serious concerns about the scale of Dorchester’s greatly increased ambitions for the town, not least because of the impact of traffic on our country lanes. We hope to be able to maintain constructive discussions with Dorchester Living, and will keep you informed on this important issue.
If you want to contact us
email us at info@mid-cherwell.org.uk
Website
Email
VISIT THE MID-CHERWELL NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION
WWW.MID-CHERWELL.ORG.UK
PRIVACY POLICY
Under new Data Protection Regulations we are required to advise you about our Privacy policy. MCNP holds names, email addresses and any comments submitted, on spreadsheets that are used only for the public purposes of creating the Neighbourhood Plan. The information is used to demonstrate community engagement and consultation required by Neighbourhood Plan Regulations, and to keep you informed of progress.
Data will not be shared with any third party. If you do not wish us to retain your data please let us know at any time by clicking on one of the links below, or email us at:
info@mid-cherwell.org.uk.
Thank you.
Engagement meetings:
Steeple & Middle Aston – 24th January 8pm – Steeple Aston Village Hall
Fritwell – 30th January 7pm – Fritwell Village Hall
Kirtlington – 31st January 6:30pm – Kirtlington Church
Ardley w/Fewcott – 6th February – 7:30pm – Ardley w/Fewcott Village Hall
Somerton & North Aston – 7th February 7:30pm – Somerton Village Hall
Upper Heyford – 13th February 7pm – Upper Heyford Village Hall
Lower Heyford – 15th February 6:30pm – King George’s Field Hall
Middleton Stoney – 20th February 7pm – Middleton Stoney Village Hall
Duns Tew – 17th February 2pm – Duns Tew Village Hall
Heyford Park – Details TBC
Release 1 – 20th December 2023
Did you know…..The Mid Cherwell Neighbourhood Plan (MCNP) has been in force since a referendum was held in 2019?
A neighbourhood plan is a legal planning document that is used to guide development within the plan area, but it is formulated by local residents and volunteers, NOT planning authorities.
The MCNP is bringing its policies up to date and adding some important new ones to benefit all our local residents. We will shortly be consulting with all the communities within the Plan area and asking for your views.
Release 2 – 2nd January 2024
Did you know…..The Mid Cherwell Neighbourhood Plan (MCNP) has been very active in campaigning for a new Local Health Facility at Heyford Park. Initially the NHS rejected the proposal for a new pharmacy but MCNP worked with the GP Practice to appeal the refusal, which resulted in the approval of the pharmacy that is open today.
Release 3 – 9th January 2024
Did you know…..The Mid Cherwell Neighbourhood Plan (MCNP) is a statutory consultee on all planning applications made within the plan area. To date we have commented on multiple cases and have had great success in ensuring that our local polices are implemented by the Cherwell Planning department.
Release 4 – 16th January 2024
Did you know…..The Mid Cherwell Neighbourhood Plan (MCNP) is actively objecting to the vast warehousing schemes currently proposed in our neighbouring parishes. Whilst we understand there is a national need for employment, our area currently has employment figures way above the national average. Warehousing of the nature proposed does not result in huge job increases, but rather huge amounts of extra traffic on the surrounding rural roads.
Release 5 – 23rd January 2024
Did you know…..The Mid Cherwell Neighbourhood Plan (MCNP) has worked very hard to implement the provision of traffic management across the plan area, even progressing to a planning stage of an exemplar project proposal in Upper Heyford Village, which could be rolled out as a cohesive approach in all villages, should funding be available from OCC. Traffic impact of the development at Heyford Park is a key concern of residents in the area and MCNP works hard to ensure this is managed.
Release 6 – 30th January 2024
Did you know…..The Mid Cherwell Neighbourhood Plan (MCNP) proposed a new burial ground at Heyford Park amongst the original Plan policies. A huge increase in population at Heyford Park means that local cemeteries are not able to cope with this future, local demand. We continue to work with the major land owners to help identify and implement this facility.
Release 7 – 6th February 2024
Did you know…..The Mid Cherwell Neighbourhood Plan (MCNP) is able to include local green spaces (LGS) within the plan that seek to protect them from unwanted development in the future. There are a total of 32 LGS identified in our review across the plan area – a further 15 are being put forward in our review, benefiting many local communities including Heyford Park.
Release 8 – 13th February 2024
Did you know…..The Mid Cherwell Neighbourhood Plan (MCNP) is the largest member neighbourhood plan in the country? We are a forum of 11 members and 1 associate member, across 12 villages. We are extremely proud of the inclusive nature that this unique forum has provided – where we’re able to come together as a team and work towards a common goal – a better plan for our rural communities – and embracing the change that comes with development within the heart of our communities.
Visit http://www.mid-cherwell.org.uk/reg14 to find out more or email info@mid-cherwell.org.uk